Dunne: I faced sack for boozing

RICHARD Dunne's booze battle has a silver lining for the Blues. The City defender, who has valiantly fought back to become a first-team regular after being accused by boss Kevin Keegan of being drunk on the training pitch, will be a key player in today's derby showdown at Eastlands.

The City defender, who has valiantly fought back to become a first-team regular after being accused by boss Kevin Keegan of being drunk on the training pitch, will be a key player in today's derby showdown at Eastlands.

Now, he has agreed to share his sad experiences with the club's young players.

Academy starlets, who have regular briefings from older pros and senior figures in the media, will be hearing about the day Dunne thought his career was over.

Keegan asked him point blank during training at Carrington whether he was drunk. He was facing the sack before 11th-hour intervention from PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor, who successfully pleaded for Dunne to be given a final chance.

Dunne also vowed to change his lifestyle . . . a switch helped by the number of foreign players in the Blues squad who are more interested in getting back to their families than going out after training or matches.

Dunne brought to Maine Road by Joe Royle from Everton for £3m in 2000 spoke with one of his potential opponents today Roy Keane about lifestyle issues.

Dunne recalled that Keane told him during a Republic trip that he'd struggle to extend his career because of what he'd been like before he was 25.